Ancient Lives (mini-series) - Dig Into the Daily Lives of Egyptians in the Time of the Pharaohs

4-episode U.K. mini-series coming to DVD this November

Posted by David Lambert

7/30/2009

Unlocking the mysteries of daily life in Ancient Egypt: How did ordinary Egyptians live in the time of the pharaohs? Renowned British Egyptologist John Romer explores the ruins of an ancient village just outside Thebes, where generations of craftsmen and artists built and decorated royal tombs. There, relics reveal the most intimate details of the people's daily lives: their meals, their loves, their quarrels, and even their dreams.

Go inside the pharaohs' most magnificent tombs and see astonishing art and priceless treasures. Meet the scribes, stonemasons, and high priests who presided over this city of the dead. Learn the secrets of the tomb raiders and the tricks devised to thwart them. This four-part series provides fascinating insights into a civilization now lost to the ages.

As seen on public television. One of the world's foremost archaeologists, John Romer led the Brooklyn Museum's expedition to excavate the tomb of Ramesses XI. Since 1979, he has served as president of the Theban Foundation, an organization for the preservation of Egyptian royal tombs.

Athena, a part of Acorn Media, is planning a November 3rd DVD release for Ancient Lives, a 4-part U.K. mini-series. Delve into the past on 2 discs running 205 minutes. This in-depth 1984 production is presented in full screen video, with audio and subtitles presented in English. Cost is $49.99 SRP in the USA, and CA$64.99 SRP in Canada. Here's a list of the contents, both episodes and extras, followed by a look at the packaging:

Episode 1 - Adjacent to ancient Thebes, the tomb-makers' village elucidates some mysteries of this long-buried culture: the role of the gods in everyday life, the Egyptians' vision of the afterlife, the significance of a king's burial, and the general design of the royal tombs.

Episode 2 - The stories of two ordinary workers-Kenhirkhopeshef, a dedicated scribe, and Paneb, a volatile foreman-reveal how religious beliefs informed the everyday lives of the Egyptians. When Ramses III moved the royal court from Thebes to the delta, the close-knit tomb-makers' community began to split along class lines.

Episode 3 - As evidenced by the subtleties of their architecture and decoration, the royal tombs experienced an artistic renaissance under scribe Amennakht. But under his son, scribe Harshire, the plundering began-instigated by none other than the trusted tomb makers themselves.

Episode 4 - Tomb raiding escalated dramatically after a great famine. And, as scribes Djutmose and Butehamun discovered, thieves invaded even the remote tombs of the kings from the old dynasty. Romer scouts some of these long-buried sites and offers clues to unearthing new ones.

BONUS FEATURES:

Pharaohs' Liquid Gold, the quest to recreate ancient Egyptian beer

16-page viewer's guide with maps, The Life of a Scribe, a history of Egyptian script, The Making of Ancient Lives by John Romer, and more.